The people spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal had not yet been announced. Brooks will receive approximately $2.5 million for the rest of this season, and the team option for next season is also for $2.5 million.

The Sacramento Kings gave Brooks a buyout on Saturday, but he had to clear waivers on Monday before he could become a free agent. He will provide added scoring and depth behind point guard Jeremy Lin for the Rockets (33-28), who are currently in eighth place in the Western Conference.

Brooks came to the Kings on a two-year, $6.6 million deal, but the second season was a player option. The 28-year-old is three years removed from his best season in the NBA, as he averaged 19.6 points and 5.3 assists for Houston in the 2009-10 campaign. He played in China during the lockout in 2011, then averaged just eight points and 20.8 minutes per game with the Kings while sharing minutes with the likes of Isaiah Thomas, Marcus Thornton and Jimmer Fredette.

Brooks began his career with the Rockets when Houston selected him with the 26th overall pick of the 2007 NBA Draft. He spent three and a half seasons with the team but was traded to the Phoenix Suns in 2011 for Goran Dragic and a first-round draft pick.